The recent flooding at the University of Peradeniya following Cyclone Ditwa has laid bare a critical national vulnerability that extends far beyond physical damage: the fragility of Sri Lanka’s veterinary education system and its implications for food security, public health, and economic resilience.
While several faculties at Peradeniya were affected by the unprecedented rise of the Mahaweli River, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science sustained the most severe damage. As Sri Lanka’s only fully-fledged veterinary faculty, the disruption to its operations has national consequences.
Extensive Damage to a National Asset
Academic buildings, laboratories, animal housing units, diagnostic facilities, libraries, teaching hospitals, specialised equipment, and decades of research were either submerged or destroyed. Senior academics have described the incident as the worst flooding the Veterinary Faculty has experienced since its establishment more than five decades ago.
Preliminary estimates indicate losses running into several billions of rupees. Beyond financial costs, the disaster has disrupted teaching schedules, halted critical research, compromised clinical training, and displaced both students and staff—placing significant strain on the continuity and quality of veterinary education.
A Predictable Risk, Now Realised
The Faculty’s location within the flood plains of the Mahaweli River has long raised concerns among professionals. The recent floods exceeded all historical records at Peradeniya, marking the first such event of this magnitude since the Faculty’s inception.
With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, the risk of recurrence is no longer theoretical. The incident underscores the urgent need to reassess the long-term viability of maintaining critical national infrastructure in high-risk locations.
One Faculty, Nationwide Implications
Sri Lanka relies on a single institution to train its veterinary surgeons. This structural dependency has already resulted in a significant workforce gap:
- Annual national requirement: ~200 veterinarians
- Current annual output: ~100 veterinarians
- Shortfall: Nearly 50%
This deficit directly affects livestock productivity, disease surveillance and control, food safety, public health, and the growth of key sectors such as dairy, poultry, meat, aquaculture, and companion animal services—areas that are increasingly important to national economic recovery and export-oriented growth.
The Case for Strategic Relocation
In light of the proven vulnerability of the current site, fragmented infrastructure, and growing national demand for veterinary professionals, the relocation of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science to a safer, climate-resilient location presents itself as the most sustainable long-term solution.
A modern, integrated veterinary faculty would strengthen Sri Lanka’s capacity to safeguard food security, enhance public health preparedness, support agricultural development, and build resilience against future climate-related disruptions.
A Call to Policymakers
The Sri Lanka Veterinary Association urges policymakers and relevant authorities to recognise veterinary education as a matter of national strategic importance. Timely, decisive action is essential to protect the future of the veterinary profession—and, by extension, the health, food security, and economic stability of the nation.
